My first mbuna tank

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Southern Rebel

Gambusia
MFK Member
Apr 24, 2012
352
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16
TN,USA
This is my first mbuna tank and was wondering if I need to add anymore fish, right now I have 2 maingano, really dark fighting, they have been for 30 minutes, locking lips, in a corner...I am assuming its 2 males since they are fighting but here is a video of my tank as of a few days ago (no fish were fighting in this video) but yeah let me know if my stock is okay thanks

watch in 1080 hd
icon_smile.gif

55 gallon
1 200 watt heater
Eheim 2217 canister filter
2 Whisper 10-30i hang on back filters (will be buying another Eheim canister when the fish mature and getting rid of the HOB filters)
75 lb. Texas Holey Rock (will be adding more later on)
40 lb. Eco-Complete African Cichlid Sand

Stock: all fish are around 1-2"
8 x Pseudotropheus Saulosi 'Taiwan Reef'
5 x Pseudotropheus sp. Zebra Long Pelvic 'Mdoka'
4 x Melanochromis cyaneorhabdos 'Maingano'

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I would add more fish to lower aggression levels. Usually with Mbuna its good to over stock the tank so that they will live together more peacefully. With a low number of fish, like you have, fish will become territorial and become more aggressive. Over stocking generally works because no matter how tough a fish is, he can only chase off or fight a couple fish. And if there are so many fish, he will just give up and go about his business. Also there will be so much traffic through rocks and crevices, single fish wont be able to claim territories as their own. You just have to make sure to keep your water nice and clean. Big water changes and good filtration is always key.
 
Hom3yboy22 said:
I would add more fish to lower aggression levels. Usually with Mbuna its good to over stock the tank so that they will live together more peacefully. With a low number of fish, like you have, fish will become territorial and become more aggressive. Over stocking generally works because no matter how tough a fish is, he can only chase off or fight a couple fish. And if there are so many fish, he will just give up and go about his business. Also there will be so much traffic through rocks and crevices, single fish wont be able to claim territories as their own. You just have to make sure to keep your water nice and clean. Big water changes and good filtration is always key.
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Thanks, but what should I add? some more maingano? zlp?
 
You probably want your groups closer to 10 to 12. You probably want to end up with 2 or 3 males and 5 to 7 females per species. The saulosi and mainganos probably will be peaceful enough they will at least coexist at less than ideal ratios. Idk about the aggression level for the other species.


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Southern Rebel said:
Thanks, but what should I add? some more maingano? zlp?
Click to expand...
In my opinion, I would add more of everything. That way you don't end up with a low population of one species compared to the next. That can be one way that fish get singled out and picked on. But if the fish you have seem to already be establishing territories, I would rescape your rocks to confuse the fish you have, and get rid of territories, before you put in the new batch of cichlids. And always add cichlids in like at least gross of the or more. If you add two, they will instinctively stick together f for a while, if they are young. This is a survival stratified for babies. But they will eventually fight each other to h the death. Well that had been my experience anyways. Hope this helps.
 
Hom3yboy22 said:
In my opinion, I would add more of everything. That way you don't end up with a low population of one species compared to the next. That can be one way that fish get singled out and picked on. But if the fish you have seem to already be establishing territories, I would rescape your rocks to confuse the fish you have, and get rid of territories, before you put in the new batch of cichlids. And always add cichlids in like at least gross of the or more. If you add two, they will instinctively stick together f for a while, if they are young. This is a survival stratified for babies. But they will eventually fight each other to h the death. Well that had been my experience anyways. Hope this helps.
Click to expand...

Thanks and yeah the 2 maingano that fought for 45 min are fine now and aren't fighting and swim near each other with no issues..kind of weird lol none of my fish have any territory YET they swim everywhere so I guess if I am going to add more I need to do it asap thank you
 
the only thing that worries me is the chance that the salousis and mdokas could hybridize, but if your not selling then thats not a problem
 
Just a quick question. I will be ordering 6 more maingano soon and was wondering at about how many total should I stop at in my tank. I am thinking in the long run as well full grown (I also ordered a 2nd eheim 2217 canister as well) so once full grown I should have 25-30 mbuna in there or?? thanks
 
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